Over the years in this industry, many of us have experienced our share of letting people go, as well as having our employees, co-workers, and colleagues let us go in turn. I’d say the most evocative way of being let go is when a Manager/Supervisor is absent from the office and comes back to find a set of keys on his desk. Sometimes this is not unexpected, although sometimes, it completely blind sides you. First off, I’d say this person has quit with no written notice. But I’ve been told this is not necessarily true. I don’t know, but if I find keys left on the desk and the employee has clocked out and left the property, it would certainly give me pause for interpretation, wouldn’t it you?

I find this most often happens in the maintenance department. Truth be told, just as in real estate, this is a Buyer’s Market – and it’s no different in property management for our skilled employees. I feel like the shortage of really capable, loyal, and hardworking skilled professionals is so heavy in the industry right now that a Tech can command his price pretty much anywhere in the United States. Does that mean that Managers and companies should sit back and accept whatever demands our onsite Maintenance Techs present? Don’t want to work weekends? Fine, we’ll delegate it to other Techs and hope they don’t complain. Don’t feel like the Manager has spent enough time during the day shooting the breeze with you? Fine, we’ll make sure the Manager checks in often throughout the day with you. Don’t like how the Leasing Consultant asks you to stop what you’re doing but never does it to your co-worker? Fine, we’ll make sure the work orders are seen first by all Maintenance Supervisor/Techs so they are divvied up equally.

I know this sounds unreasonable.

I’m interested in knowing if anyone feels pulled because you may be keeping a skilled Tech who has real issues with attitude that does affect the team, but you keep him/her because you NEED the skills he/she brings to the table?

If a Manager is scared of losing someone, I want to know how a company is handling this real issue. Do you expect the Manager to “coddle” the one threatening to quit? Do we expect Management and HR departments to incorporate mental health training into the daily schedule?

No property runs smoothly all the time; no Management Company can be expected to have all happy employees every day. Managers and HR cannot be expected to understand what is going on with all employees at every moment. They can offer open doors to communicate and should. Whether or not teams utilize this is up to them.  At what point is it okay to just cut the line and let the person go when you walk in and find keys left on the desk?